Justification by Faith - The Sentimental Argument

July 10, 2022

Michael H. McIlwain

Galatians 4:12-20 Spiritual leaders who truly love their congregation grieve when they succumb to false teaching. Today we explore the pain that occurs in a pastor's heart and mind when the congregation forsakes grace and goes back to legalism. Justification by Faith – The Sentimental Argument Galatians 4:12-20 I. Paul Exhorts the Galatians to Become As He Is a. Paul left the legalistic system of the Jewish law to bring the gospel to the Gentile Galatians. For I have also become like you. b. Paul became like the Galatians in being free from the law. He now desires for them to become like Him in being free from legalistic bondage. II. He reminds them of the good relationship they had. You did me no wrong. a. Paul had become ill and had to stay in Galatia longer than he expected. b. In this section Paul’s depth of love for the Galatians is strongly evident. c. Paul saw the false sincerity of the false teachers. d. Zeal for the wrong thing. III. Paul’s Deep Concern for and Perplexity about the Galatians (vv.19-20) a. He was not like them. He still loved them even though they had grown cold toward him in his absence. b. Faithful ministers long for their spiritual children to have Christ formed in them. c. Christ is not fully formed in people until they are brought from trusting in their own righteousness and come to fully rely on Jesus and His righteousness. d. Though ministers too often find it necessary to reprove those they have to do with, yet this is no grateful work to them; they had much rather there was no occasion for it, and are always glad when they can see reason to change (Matthew Henry)